Whether you like your chili with beans or without, these secret ingredients can take your favorite chili recipe to the next level.

There are a lot of chili variations out there, but they all stick to the same main ingredients for the most part. For some extra flavor that will make your chili stand out, Emma Christensen at Food52 recommends you add some cinnamon, strong coffee, or a little dark chocolate:

Pick any of the following: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 whole cinnamon stick, a shot of espresso, a small cup of strong coffee, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, or a few squares of good-quality dark chocolate. Except for dark chocolate, add any of these along with the spices; add the chocolate along with the tomatoes and let it melt slowly into the chili.

All three of these ingredients will help boost the meaty flavor in your preferred chili recipe without being overpowering. You can find more great chili tips at the link below.